Uber has this offer for European governments: Work with us, and we’ll create 50,000 jobs in your cities this year.
Uber has run into problems with regulators in Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere who have shown a willingness to shut down its popular taxi-service app. The company has sparked or found itself at the center of controversy after controversy.
While traditional transportation providers cry foul at Uber’s tactics, the company said the competition and technology it brings is good for governments and local economies.
“Uber can share smart data with partner cities to help them manage growth, reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions and expand public transportation,” the company said in a blog post as CEO Travis Kalanick unveiled its pitch at a major tech industry conference in Germany.
Specifically, it said an expansion of Uber across Europe would “take 400,000 cars off the road” this year. It did not provide details about how it arrived at the vehicle and job numbers.
The company also confronted one of the key criticisms of its service: passenger safety. The company said it would look for ways to improve and expand its system of background checks for potential drivers, “and improve communication with local officials and law enforcement.”
